Red carpet recap: Iced-out style ruled the 96th Annual Academy Awards

Diverse, personality-packed looks have been the hallmark of red-carpet style this awards season, and the 96th Annual Academy Awards red carpet was no exception. On Sunday night, old Hollywood glamour, cowboy-core, icy pastels, classic black, sociopolitical style statements and more all found a house on the cherry red carpet outside of the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. 

In addition to scoring in some major categories, Black nominees and attendees won the red carpet. Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo continued his awards-season style streak in a custom suit by Louis Vuitton accessorized with jewelry by David Yurman and matching gold-tipped Vuitton cowboy boots (which he joked were a nod to Beyoncé). Meanwhile, Lupita Nyong’o’s sequined gown was a sartorial nod to her first Oscar win ten years ago, as she joined Ava DuVernay and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in wearing one among the evening’s chicest shades: ice blue. As at all times, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade nailed couples’ style (and landed atop several best-dressed lists in the process), with Union sparkling in a strapless two-piece skirt set by Carolina Herrera, accessorized with an emerald-cut aquamarine-and-diamond statement necklace by Tiffany and Co. Alongside his wife, Wade cut a dashing figure in a double-breasted black-and-white tuxedo by Atelier Versace.

In addition to her astounding talent, Da’Vine Joy Randolph has been a style star all award season, turning heads with take care of look. The actress and self-described “fashion girl” accepted her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in “The Holdovers” — a task for which she reportedly drew on her grandmother’s style — in a dreamy pale blue sequin and shredded chiffon Louis Vuitton gown, continuing a pastel trend some red carpet commentators dubbed “mermaid-core.”

While the looks were, by and huge, delightfully varied, another prevailing trends emerged: The evening saw several notable metallic moments, including on E! News red carpet host Zuri Hall, who evoked the Oscar statuette in a gold strapless dress by Rony Abou Hamdan Couture, and her colleague Laverne Cox, who wore a black and gold gown from the Mugler archives. Several actors also used their looks to reference their onscreen personas, including Domingo, who has been wearing a hoop once owned by Bayard Rustin since the awards season kicked off. Cynthia Erivo also gave a playful nod to her upcoming starring role as Elphaba in “Wicked,” wearing a “witchy” green custom leather gown and cape by Louis Vuitton. In a sea of classic black, Issa Rae also opted for deep green, donning an inky olive-colored gown in sequins and velvet. 

While many male Oscar attendees kept it classic in black tuxedoes, several others used Hollywood’s biggest night to push the boundaries of formalwear. Strikingly, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, wore a gray satin tuxedo with a low-cut shirt with a contrasting shawl collar. “Extra” host Scott Evans took a relaxed approach to the evening in a light-weight blue jacket and cream-colored pants, while David Oyelowo, opted for a caramel brown evening suit with a collarless chocolate shirt. 

In short, Black Hollywood’s A-listers once more brought their A-game to Sunday’s red carpet. Take a have a look at more standout looks from the evening in theGrio’s gallery below.